Girls Track: Freeport ready to challenge Hononegah, Harlem

Wednesday

May 7, 2014 at 1:59 PMMay 7, 2014 at 1:59 PM

By Jay TaftThe Journal-Standard

FREEPORT — With power boosts from distance runner Ellie Willging and sprinter Ashley Simmons, the host Freeport Pretzels plan on maneuvering themselves right into the title mix at Thursday’s NIC-10 girls track meet.

Hononegah has the depth, and Harlem has talent spread throughout as well. But the Pretzels have Willging and Simmons, and the knowledge that just about every coach in the league believes this year’s race is pretty wide open.

“I’ve talked to a lot of them, and we all think that this one’s going to be a battle,” Freeport coach Dave Roloff said. “I mean you’ve got Hononegah and Harlem, you’ve got us pushing, you’ve got Boylan and a couple of others coming on strong. There should be some really good times and distances coming out of this one, and some really close battles all the way through.”

Hononegah’s Patrice Jones heads in with the league’s fastest time in the 400-meter run (58.81), the second-fastest time in the 200 (25.80), the third-fastest in the 100 (12.52), and she’s been a big part of Hononegah’s shorter relay squads, all three of which have earned the top seeds.

In fact, the Indians have a title contender in every event but three, and hold the top seed in six events. As for Harlem, led by middle distance runner Allison Hartman (top seed in the 800 at 2:19.22), hurdler Paige Gors (seeded in the top three in both hurdle events), and discus dominator Audriana Nichol (130-feet-3½), the Huskies believe they’ll be right there as well.

“Our minds are ready, we’re healthy, and we’re up for the challenge,” Harlem coach Scott Sholl said. “The conference is really deep this year, and it’s going to take some big performances to run off with this one.”

But Freeport’s hopes don’t necessarily lie on the team’s depth. The Pretzels lost former state-qualifying shot putter Kylia Hughes to a pair of herniated disks in her back, and head in searching for a way to replace those points.

So they’ll need to lean heavily on Willging — the top seed in the 3,200 (11:12.67) and No. 2 behind Belvidere North’s Carley Lutzow (5:16.00 and 5:16.90) in the mile — and Simmons — who comes in with the fastest 100 (12.20) and 200 (25.80) times.

“We’ll need a lot from both of them,” Roloff said, “if we’re going to make an impact in this one.”

The pair will also run anchor legs in key relay races, and could provide the boost needed to lift Freeport into the NIC-10 title picture. One thing Roloff knows is that they are both ready for anything.

“Ellie is healthier and better than ever, and I just can’t wait to see what she can do,” Roloff said. “And Ashley is so close right now. She’s on pace to do something special in the next couple of weeks, starting (Thursday).”